Foreign horses out of luck in Tokyo

El Condor Pasa spearheaded a clean sweep by the home horses in the £1.73 million Japan Cup (12f) in Tokyo yesterday. The three-year-old (5 to 1) had never raced beyond nine furlongs before, but he left his his 14 rivals floundering in front of an appreciative 146,879 crowd.

The US pair, Chief Bearhart and the mare Maxzene, did best of the overseas contingent in fourth and fifth. However, the race was a disaster for the other visitors, with Godolphin's Faithful Son leading the way in seventh. Clive Brittain's Luso, ridden by Michael Kinane, had the dubious honour of finishing tailed off last. "He was never travelling," said Kinane. El Condor Pasa had proved himself a top performer over a mile, and Masayoshi Ebina's mount sat handily in third behind Silent Hunter.

The son of Kingmambo made his class tell when it mattered most by powering two and a half lengths clear of of Air Groove. Special Week, the favourite, was third.

Ebina, 29, suspended six days in an earlier race, was winning the race at the third attempt. "I am thrilled. The colt has unlimited potential," he said.

Trained by Takashi Ninomiya, El Condor Pasa was recording his sixth win from seven starts. Owner Takashi Watanabe said: "Frankly speaking, I thought Special Week would win. Although there were stamina doubts, the horse has been in tremendous shape and that clinched the decision to run."

Kinane was seventh in an international jockeys' race on J'S Boogie.

Chasing's newest star Teeton Mill could return to action a fortnight on Saturday, it emerged yesterday. Venetia Williams has pencilled in a tilt at Ascot's Betterware Cup for her grey who romped to victory - with jockey Norman Williamson punching the air in delight passing the post - in Saturday's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury.

The Betterware was won 12 months ago by subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Cool Dawn, and Teeton Mill is quoted at just 14 to 1 by William Hill to follow suit next March.

But Miss Williams confirmed that the Martell Grand National is likely to remain the major spring target for the nine-year-old, who is offered at 16 to 1 for Aintree victory by Hills.

"The plan has always been the Grand National and I wouldn't imagine that would have changed," the trainer said.

Teeton Mill's 15-length winning margin over Eudipe has been bettered only twice in the 41-year history of the Hennessy and Miss Williams added: "Yesterday was wonderful - and I think Norman was delighted too!.